Leg rests



Dec. 22, 1964 w. M. EMERY 3,

LEG RESTS Filed Oct. 31, 1963 F G 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOR. W/LL/AM EMERVg m D 041 W,

AT TOR N EYS W. M. EMERY Dec. 22, 1964 LEG RESTS Filed 001:. 31, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. IO FIG. I

INVENTOR. M. EME/PV United States Patent 3,162,486 LEG RESTS William M.Emery, 44 Pittsford Way, New Providence, NJ. Filed Get. 31, 1963, Ser. N320,334 3 tilmms. (Cl. 291-43?) My present invention refers to hassocksor leg rests. A study or" the art and my experience in manufacturing andan attempt to nationally market the leg rest shown in my Patent#3301662, has emphasized certain practical limitations in manufacturingand distributing a low price conventional hassock. Although my previouspatent was designed for great simplicity and low cost production, it wasnecessary to provide and assemble a frame work for the top area, paddingand a form fit cover plus a support frame adjustable for height orangle, also with conventional hassocks or my previous back rest it wasdifficult or economically impossible to provide a sufilciently resilientcushion to allow sufiicient heel depression without uncomfortablepressure thereon if the angle and leg were likewise to be supported andoverhanging the heel did not prove sutiiciently comfortable to manyusers. So the foremost object of my present invention is to provide ahornogenous one piece top requiring no assembly of a plurality of parts,with no need for padding, no covering, no frame and yet one that willhave paradoxically a feeling of softness although made of a firmnon-resilient media.

Another object is to provide means of obtaining comfort equal to orsurpassing that obtained by resilient cushion means by dispersing theweight of the leg and foot as a result of semi-conforming cavities inthe foot rest. The cavities need not be semi-circular conforming to thefree curve of the fleshy portions such as the calf but rather have aflatter curve of the calf that would result if it were supported by asoft resilient media.

Due to state laws and licenses respecting the use and certification thatall padding is made of new materials,

etc, it is necessary to pay fees of approximately $700.00 1

annually plus the cost of obtaining certification stamps and tags fordifferent states. This is not only a considerable annual expense for asmall local business but also a great inventory or shipping complicationsince each hassock must be labeled for the state of its intended resaledestination.

Accordingly, an important object rest as comfortable as if it werepadded but without padding so that it may be freely distributed in thevarious states of the Union without certification state labels orstamps.

Since chairs are of different heights, etc. it is essential that mostleg rests be pro-set for a predetermined height or angle. Accordingly,another objwt is to provide a leg rest with unique rockers that willautomatically adjust the angle of the rest to suit the chair height andbe completely self supporting-able to stand alone Without restingagainst the chair.

Another object is to provide means of support for a leg support top onrockers in a state of stabile equilibrium over a wide range of usefuland comfortable angles despite the very light weight and simplicity ofthe entire assembly and so balanced that it returns automatically to amean inclination.

Since there is no fixed position of comfort an essence of comfort is theability to easily shift from one temporarily comfortable position toanother. This cannot be conveniently accomplished by hassocks so commonin the art which are preadjusted to a certain height of chair or haveone end resting on the chair or are pre-set to a certain angle or heightotherwise. Accordingly, a furis to provide a leg ther object and uniqueteaching of my invention is to provide for mobile comfort that is theextensive and easy variation of the angle and leg position withoutdisturbing the relaxed position of the user in his chair, not manuallybut pedally by heel movement or heel hold, and furthermore to do thiswhile maintaining parallel or uniform leg support by the hassock.

Another object is to secure maximum simplicity of con structionconsisting substantially of only one piece molded top, complete initself, and two identical rockers of one piece bent rod constructionhaving a sliding fit into the top, separable for compact shipping andpacking.

These and other objects together with their successful attainment willbe obvious from the following specification and claims when consideredwith the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the leg rest hassock,

FIG. 2 is a section along line llll of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section along line Ill-III of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a section along line Til- V of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a section along line VV of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a section along line Vl-VI of FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a View in elevation of my hassock,

FIG. 8 is a section of one of the leg sockets shown in broken lines inFIGS. 2 and 7,

FIG. 9 shows my leg rest hassock in use,

PEG. 10 shows an alternate C shaped rocker support, and

FIG. 11 shows an alternate L shaped rocker support.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 the actual construction of my leg rest hassockis the acme of simplicity consisting primarily of only three parts, aone piece top 2%) and two identical rockers 21. To evolve from an art ofrelatively more complicated devices such simplicity is certainly ameritorious advance.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show in detail the homogenous one piece top 25) which maybe molded of expanded polystyrene or other material or by other methodssuch as vacuum forming.

Two blind sockets 22 are molded in the under side of top 26 at the heelend 23 and two sockets 24 are likewise molded at the calf end 25. Thereare two U shaped support rockers 21, each having a long vertical end isand a short vertical end 27 and a rocker portion 36. Ends 26 insert orslide into sockets 24 and ends 27 insert into sockets 23 to support thetop 29 with a normal downward inclination toward the heel end 23.

The U shaped rockers 21 may be made of bent steel rod or tubing or othersuitable material and the natural springiness of their structureprovides sufficient friction to hold them in their sockets even if thelit in the sockets is not very tight. When thus made the entire hassockmay weigh less than two pounds and will ship with rockers disassembledcompactly thus providing convenient port ability and economicaldistribution.

In the upper surface of top 2% is formed an imprint of a pair of legsfrom calf to heel. Since the right and left imprints are substantiallysimilar, any reference to one will apply equally to the other, sonumerical designations will not be duplicated. Each imprint 30 iscontinuous but may be said for exposition to include a relatively deepheel impression 31, a large tendon depression 32 and a calf depression33.

Normally when your calf and heel rest on a flat resilient cushion, theweight of each section is not proportionately supported by the cushionbecause it is never padded in sufiicient depth to allow the heel to sinkof itself deeply enough into the cushion to allow the area between thecalf and heel to impress sulliciently into the cushion so that eacharea, calf, heel and leg carries its own proportionate weight especiallythe tendon area; accordingly, a properly proportioned imprint canprovide a weight distribution superior to a conventionally resilientcushion.

Assuming that the cross section of a calf could be represented by acircle of 2 inch radius, if such a calf were half submerged in water andthe water solidified, the

imprint would obviously be a tight fitting semi-circle with a 2 inchradius. In contra-distinction, a feature of calf depression 32, which isclearly shown in FIG. 6, is its long radius arc of flattened bottom 34.This more nearly approximates the imprint which a calf would make in aresilient cushion. Thus the imprint 24 is relatively shallow and notconfining. Imprint 39 is formed throughout to provide considerablefreedom forlateral and rotational movement because no immobile positionis long comfortable.

Since the heel and large tendon areas are firmer and less meaty-than thecalf, it will be noted bycomparing the transverse sections shown inFIGS. 3 to 6, there is less bottom flattening of depressions 31 and 32yet in all cases sufiicient lateral spacing is provided for freedom ofmovement such as the turning, rolling or twisting oi the leg, or theflexing of the ankle. This provides a wide.

range of mobility and also successfully provides comfort for eitherlarge or small adults of both sexes, although it is quite possible toconstruct the hassock in a range E of sizes, however, this so far seemsunnecessary, even for 90 to 200 pound users.

As shown by the transverse sections FIGS. 3 to 6, sides 34, 35 and 36 ofdepressions 31, 32 and 33 respectively are never. vertical and the topedges are rounded.

The lateral sides are not necessarily accurate nor a conare quite flexedand the top 20 severely inclined. All

of this mobility can be accomplished by the user from his relaxedsitting posture and done entirely by the holding power of his heels indepression 31.

Top 20 being molded of expanded polystyrene (probably 3 lbs./ cu. ft.density) weighs less than half a pound which is less than the weight ofthe rockers 21. This results in a relatively low center of gravity thatkeeps the structure in stable equilibrium even though the center of thearc of the rockers may be below top 20. As previously explained due tothe long and short leg lengths 26 and 27 respectively, the top isnormally inclined doWnward toward the heel end 23 ata substantial anglepreferably midway between a level position and a position ofapproximately the maximum angle that might result from use with a lowchair with the hassock drawn close to the chair with the knees of theuser raised and fully flexed. So constructed and arranged the hassockwill'automatically adjust its inclination simultaneously in accord Vwith two variables: (1) the height of the chair and (2) the nearness ofthe hassock 31.

Numerous variations of construction, shapes and angles are possiblewithout departing from the teaching of my invention including theturning of the U supports into 0 supports using the bottom of the C as arocker as illustrated in FIG. 10 or into an L shaped rocker as shown inFIG. 11.

It should be specifically noted that my pre-formed impression in firmmaterial provides better distribution of weight 'over the supportingarea and is thus more comfortable than a depression made by resting legsand heels. on a conventionally padded flat hassock, especially when thegeneral incline of my supporting surface always closely parallels itselfto the legs.

My theory and teaching is that the comfort resulting from resiliency isnot essentially due to softness but rather to the final contour of thesupporting area especially if the weight is evenly or graduallydistributed over a sumcient area to avoid points of concentration, andthis may be obtained in a molded non-resilient media better than in aresilient cushion. Furthermore, the cost and licensing problems incidentto certification or" padding and the cost of covering and supporting thepadding are eliminated,-resulting in a very simple, efficient structure,economical to produce and'distribute, and a pleasure to use. Also asecond teaching recognizes for the first time in the art, theessentiality of easy mobility for comfort and desirability of having awide choice'of positions and angles readily available and easily variedwithout disturbing the users relaxed lounging position in his chair.

Accordingly, I claim:

1. A leg and foot restcornprising a molded non- V resilientsubstantially one piece top, imprints molded therein of both heels,ankles, large tendon and calf, said imprints being similar to animpression which would be made in a resilient media it said bodilypar-ts were impressed therein including a deep heel impression and asomewhat flattened calf impression, all of said impressions beingloosely fitting to allow freedom of foot and leg, normal angular orrotational leg movement and ankle movement, and means to support saidleg and foot rest at a suitable height and inclination.

2. 'A leg and foot rest comprising a molded nonresilient substantiallyone piece top, imprints molded therein of both heels, ankles, largetendons and calves, said imprints being similar to an impression whichwould be made in aresilient matter if said body parts were impressedtherein including a. deep heel impression and a somewhat flattened calfimpression, all of said impressions'being loosely fitting to allowfreedom of foot or leg, normal angular or rotational leg movement andanklemovement, sockets in said top adjacent each corner thereof, a pair'of U-shaped rockers, the ends of the vertical poritions of said-U-shapedrockers adapted to.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,178 12/25Williams 248-143 2,482,306 9/49 Waldheim 297-271 2,659,419 11/ 53Waldheim et a1 297-445 2,751,268 6/56 Creelman 5-345 2,856,986 10/58OLeary 297-439 2,914,116 11/59 Gohmann 297-439 3,034,830 5/62 Avedon297-445 3,038,175 6/62 Faget etal. Q 5-345 SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B.

1. A LEG AND FOOT REST COMPRISING A MOLDED NONRESILIENT SUBSTANTIALLYONE PIECE TOP, IMPRINTS MOLDED THEREIN OF BOTH HEELS, ANKLES, LARGETENDON AND CALF, SAID IMPRINTS BEING SIMILAR TO AN IMPRESSION WHICHWOULD BE MADE IN A RESILIENT MEDIA IF SAID BODILY PARTS WERE IMPRESSEDTHEREIN INCLUDING A DEEP HEEL IMPRESSION AND A SOMEWHAT FLATTENED CALFIMPRESSION, ALL OF SAID IMPRESSIONS BEING LOOSELY FITTING TO ALLOWFREEDOM OF FOOT AND LEG, NORMAL ANGULAR OR ROTATIONAL LEG MOVEMENT ANDANKLE MOVEMENT, AND MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID LEG AND FOOT REST AT ASUITABLE HEIGHT AND INCLINATION.